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The act of taking in breath. Inhalation results from the negative pressure in the lungs caused by contraction of the diaphragm, which causes it to move downwards and to expand the chest cavity. The resulting flow of air into the lungs restores a pressure equal to that of the atmosphere.
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Also called inspiration
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Compare exhalation
Etymology
Origin of inhalation
Compare meaning
How does inhalation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mice were exposed to aerosolized chlorpyrifos for 11 weeks through inhalation methods designed to mimic how people typically encounter the chemical.
From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026
Short-term exposure by inhalation can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue respiratory irritation and other adverse health effects, according to the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026
Bouchard said 30 police officers were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation as the building was "engulfed" in flames.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
This approach, the memo said, was critical in identifying harmful substances that “pose exposure hazards via ingestion, inhalation of dust, or through garden/food production.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 16, 2026
She was in front of him now, and Jack felt his chest expand and then freeze, an inhalation with no companion.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
